As we enter into October, the first full month of autumn, we notice changes like the beautiful and cool nights.  Many of us pack away our summer clothes, clean out our closets, and take out our warmer Fall clothes.   Although we take the time to clean out our closets and reorganize for the season, most of us do not do the same for our bodies. None of us eat perfect diets, exercise as much as we should, and get proper amounts of rest.  As you prepare and clean your home for the changing season, I challenge you to also prepare and cleanse your body.  I recommend doing some type of cleanse at least once a season, to prepare, repair and detoxify our bodies.   Let's take some time to heal our bodies.  If you would like some guidance on choosing a cleanse, please don't hesitate to ask.

Stress is a word I hear very often these days.  People are trying many different options to reduce their stress.  How many of us have taken a few minutes to think about what stress really is?  Before we can understand what stress is we must first understand what health is and where it comes from.  Our bodies are amazing!  We start from two cells and in nine months grow to 400 quadrillion cells, with eyes, fingers and organ systems.  Your body digests food, balances your biochemistry, heals everything from cuts to broken bones, and can even recover from surgery.  This healing/wisdom that our body has is innate.  We cannot exist without it.  Health is an inside out process not an outside in process.

What is stress?  Stress is a perception by your body that you are in an unsafe or dangerous environment.  This perception causes stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, causing biochemical changes in the body that we know as fight or flight.  This is a defense mechanism of the body allowing you to escape your perceived dangerous situation.  It does this by slowing down digestion, dilating pupils, increasing blood flow to the skeletal muscles, decreasing urine production, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and decreasing blood flow to the higher centers of the brain.

Stress is not triggered by our environment, but by our perception of our environment.  Two people can experience the exact same event with one perceiving it as stressful and the other not.  Our perceptions are controlled by our beliefs.  Ultimately what we believe and think controls our lives, bodies, and the universe.  After a stressful event is over most people continue to have the physiological effect of stress with no stimulus.  This impacts how that inborn healing/ wisdom expresses itself and causes a small separation in our true potential.

People today are trying to reduce their stress with all different kinds of treatments such as chiropractic, yoga, meditation, exercise, etc.  However none of these activities truly reduces stress.  They do re-connect you back to your source allowing you to return to your true health potential.  The only true way to reduce your stress is to change your beliefs on life. 

Film:  The Business of Being Born

As a family wellness practitioner and a father to two young children, birth and birth options for women are two of my greatest concerns.  I recently attended an advanced screening of the documentary, "The Business of Being Born".  This documentary targets many of the problems with the birth process in this country.  In Europe, 70% of births are attended by midwives while 30% are attended by obstetricians.  In the U.S., 92% are attended by obstetricians and 8% by midwives.  In the U.S., we have the highest maternal and infant mortality rate of any industrialized country, and yet we spend more money on births than any other country.  Sadly, in the past two years, two major midwife practices in the Washington, DC area have closed, limiting choices available to women.  Several non-profit groups in our area are trying to ensure that women can continue to choose how and where they birth their babies.  The only way this can happen is for people to become informed.  I urge each one of you to go see this film. 

Remaining advanced screenings in our area:

Saturday October 6^th 2007, 7:30pm
At the Ethical Society of Washington, DC
Sponsored by the Birth Options Alliance
http://www.birthoptionsalliance.org/film.asp

Saturday October 13^th 2007, 7:00pm
Arlington Cinema Draft House, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Va
http://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com/?page=event&eid=504
International Caesarean Awareness Network

Saturday October 28^th 2007, 5:00pm
The Family Room, 411 8th Street, SE (upstairs)
www.thefamilyroomdc.com
Call: Kat Haines, 202-257-8007 or The Family Room, 202-640-1865 for more details.

 Bring your ticket stub in and receive one free adjustment.

Thursday October 11, 2007 8:00pm-9:00pm
Journey to Wellness Workshop
Dr. Anthony will give a talk on health, wellness and how to improve the quality of you life.  Learn how to take an active role in your healing process so you can make the most of your investment.  New and existing clients are welcome.  Please register with Dr. Anthony.

Thursday October 18, 2007 8:00pm-9:00pm
Meditation Workshop
Meditation will be led by Alex Paraskevas, director of YogaChai -- non-profit yoga organization.  This will be a guided meditation focusing on relaxation and clarity.  The workshop is FREE.  Please register with Dr. Anthony.  Visit Alex on the web at www.YogaChai.com

Saturday October  20, 2007
Office will be closed
Dr. Anthony will be attending a pediatric seminar.

With all that is temporary in today's society, traditions can provide us with a sense of stability - something familiar for us to look forward to each season.  Traditions build memories and stories to share.  Every Fall, my family enjoys apple picking and then comes home to cook this delicious dessert.